


God Looks On In Abject Apathy

by StarEyesAndDiatribes



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Author Doesn't Know What He's Doing Anymore, Bottom John Silver, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prostitute John Silver, Top Captain Flint | James McGraw, Warning: Will Probably be Kinky Eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-01-31 15:02:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18593683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarEyesAndDiatribes/pseuds/StarEyesAndDiatribes
Summary: ON INDEFINITE HIATUSDifferent lies lead to different lives, but we all end up the same in the end.Aka the What If John Had A Different Cover AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing for fun not seriously, so please don't judge this too harshly.
> 
> Anyways, I watched Harlots recently and was going to write a Black Sails Harlots AU, but that just turned into what if John was a prostitute so uhh,,, here you go.

            “I’ve got the list!”

            “Idelle! Give it back!”

            “You shouldn’t be reading this, you virgin.”

            John scrambled out of his room, following Abigail and Idelle as they chased each other through the house. He’d been waiting for months to hear what the residents of New Providence Island thought of the newcomer.

            John had been surprised at the inflow he had. He knew he was pretty, and that with his curls and charm he could turn a penny, but then he had began attracting customers from inland, and according to the girls that wasn’t common around here. Apparently, the farmers had more to hide than their wives would care to know about.

            But still, he was excited to hear them writing his praise, and could hardly wait to line his pockets with the coin he was sure to earn.

            He moved to stand behind Abigail and peak at the book, “Read mine!” A lot of the other girls had joined them around the table, all shouting something similar.

            Abigail smiled up at him briefly, “Hold on John, wait your turn.” The young girl flipped through a few pages before landing on the first of the names in the house.

            “Miss Alice,” from the other side of the table John watched as the woman perked up, “A hefty bosom, perfect for the men inclined to mothering.” Abigail paused for a moment, “She’ll well enough do what you want, but this fire ship could use a wash after leaving the farm with the other sows.” John cringed as Alice went to storm out of the room. The author had a point, but on an island full of filthy pirates they really had no room to talk.

            “Alright, up next, Charlotte!”  Everyone knew Charlotte was all but kept at this point. If Logan had a bit more coin and a bit of sense, then he’s sure it would be official. “A fair haired beauty-”

            “Girls! John!” Max was leaning on the balcony, glaring down at the group. “There are two crews coming into the harbour as we speak, and you’re sitting here doing nothing!” She began making her way down the stairs, and the group quickly broke apart, leaving just Abigail and John at the table.

            Abigail got up as Max approached him and shot him her brightest smile, “I’ll read off yours tonight, love!” She pressed a kiss to his cheek and wandered off.

            Abigail was the only girl at the house who didn’t work by way of sex. She had made her way to the island when she was young, and Max had refused to let a child work the same way they all had. By the time she had gotten older Max had already found other uses for her that better suited her talents.

            “I didn’t think the great Long John Silver cared about the nonsense of men’s opinions.” Max just raised an eyebrow at him and he couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped.

            “Their opinions? No. The money a good review would bring in… that’s another story.”

            Max rolled her eyes and made her way to the bar, John following closely behind. “The Walrus is one of the ships that are landing currently, if you want to get start washing up, I can send Muldoon in as soon as he arrives.”

            John shrugged his shoulders. “I think Muldoon is finding other men to warm his bed at night. He only saw me once last time he was ashore! And they were docked for nearly three weeks!” John was trying very hard not to pout, but it was hard. Muldoon was one of his sweeter customers, and he always took care to bathe before he fucked him. He was one of few that John thought even knew what a bath was.

            “Possibly, but he’ll return. Not many men can compare from what I’ve heard and love only goes so far.” John laughed at that. She had a point.

John made his way out of the house with the rest of the girls. Even if Muldoon was shacking up with his shipmates, John had other customers to service and more coin to earn.

            He always made sure to start with the ones who slipped him extra. Morley and Turk weren’t the best of men, and they usually smelled a little. But they always payed double if you let them go at the same time and lacked in loyalty to their captain which led to looser lips.

            He finished up those two customers rather quickly and, after cleaning up, went to make his way back to the beach.

            John made it to the edge of the sand before Esther caught his arm, the other one hooked around one of the Ranger crew, “Slade’s looking for you.”

            “Fuck.”

            John ducked behind a patch of palms just as the man began to make his way over. Slade was one of the Ranger crew with appetites that none of them wanted to sate. He had been demanding John’s service since he caught his eye and John had been lucky enough to have always been called for after that first dreadful encounter. John was just lucky Hamund wasn’t inclined his way. He would run that man through if he had a bit more courage and an opportunity.

            John waited a moment more before slipping down a narrow path. It intersected one of the roads that led inland, and by the time he made his way around Max would have had to direct Slade’s attentions somewhere else. He almost felt bad for whichever girl would be stuck with the pirate, but it wasn’t him and that was good enough for the time being.

            John quite enjoyed this little path. The girls had told him about it a few weeks in so he could avoid the worst of the crews. The pirates usually overlooked the path which meant it was one of the prettiest places on the island. Large and bright flowers lined the walkway, with fruit trees spattered about. John grabbed a low hanging anón, making sure it was starting to split before eating it.

            It was little over an hour when he emerged from the other side of the path. It came out by an old house where a lovely woman lived. She was kind enough to the girls and John and had even made a habit of asking them to sit for tea when she spots them walking about.

            She was working in her garden and looked up just as John had stepped out. She smiled over at him, her kind eyes crinkling in the corners, and John felt his mouth returning the expression.

            “Hello, Mr. Silver.”

            “Mrs. Barlow.” John stood just on the edge of her garden, careful not to actually step on any of the vegetables. “How are you this lovely morning?”

            “Quite well,” Mrs. Barlow stood up, brushing herself off, “Would you care for a cup of tea? I’m beginning to feel quite thirsty.”

            “You work too much, that husband of yours should put in his share.” Her expression soured momentarily at the mention of him, but her smile was fixed back into place before John could try to backtrack.

            John didn’t know much about Mrs. Barlow’s husband. She knew his name was James, they moved here from London together under bad circumstances that she doesn’t like to talk about, and that he’s a pirate. She refuses to give anything else away, and John can’t blame her. Prying ears are a danger to her little life she has set up.

            “James is far too busy to do things like garden or chores.”

            They made their way indoors. John always thought her house was quite nice. It was a home, covered in keepsakes and herbs and books. That was one reason John loved coming to Mrs. Barlow’s house. She would sometimes lend him one of her books, and he would keep it hidden underneath the loose floorboard in his room until he could finish. Always returning it within a week and discussing it with her.

            She would also sometimes read to him if he stayed for a while. The current book she was reading him was Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. John thought the content was boring for the most part, but the way Mrs. Barlow read it always left John with a need to hear more. This was an important book for her, he could tell, and the fact that she shared it with him meant more than he cared to admit to anyone.

            “Which pirate are you hiding from this time?” Mrs. Barlow busied herself to make the tea while John moved to sit at the table.

            “Slade. I swear the Ranger crew just get nastier the longer you’re on this island.”

            Mrs. Barlow scrunched up her face in sympathy. John and the girls often complained about the Ranger crew to her.

            “A nasty man. I feel bad for the girl who gets stuck with him in your absence.”

            “It was Esther’s turn to take him, but she was the one who warned me, and she had a customer on her arm already.” John rolled his eyes. He understood the feeling, but she was constantly weaselling out of her share.

            “She had an excuse of a customer. What will you say when your board asks why you weren’t there?” Miranda raised a delicate eyebrow at him as she set the tea out.

            “I will say that I was busy inland with one of my favourite customers.” John smirked at her eyeroll and accepted the cup that she handed him.

            Miranda went over to a coin purse sat on the counter and pulled a couple from the pouch, “One of these days I may actually make one of you deliver on the service for payment.”

            John kissed the back of her hand as she handed the coin to him, and gave her his best smile, “I would only be too glad to deliver, Mrs. Barlow.”

            She pulled her hang away while chuckling and grabbed the red leather-bound book, “Shall we continue with our reading then?”

            John ended up staying for the better part of the day, listening to Mrs. Barlow reading. John hadn’t realised the sun was beginning to set until she set the book down and stretched.

            “You won’t be back until dark if you don’t leave soon.” John helped her clean up what was left from tea before he said his goodbyes.

            “Until next time, Mrs. Barlow.”

            “Perhaps next time you can visit me without the excuse of running from pirates.”

            John chuckled, “Perhaps.” He leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek, and nearly made it to the door before it burst open.

            John noticed boot, breeches, belt, coat, and red hair before the recognition set in. He had been careful to avoid this particular captain since he had set foot on this island, having barely escaped with his life before he had talked his way onto the pirate ship and into the brothel.

            John thought of the slip of paper hidden in his room that he had found out too late was being hunted for by him and prayed that this captain couldn’t give two shits about the whore he left on the shore in lieu of murder and wouldn’t recognise him.

            Captain Flint stared at him for a moment. Confusion, then recognition, then annoyance flitting across his face.

            “What the fuck are you doing here?”


	2. Chapter 2

_ Three Months Earlier _

            “Gun crews at the ready!”

            They were fucked. They were all fucked, and pride was preventing these men from realising the stupidity of their actions.

            John had met his fair share of pirates, had fucked plenty of them and listened to their gruesome tales of murder and mutilation.

            John had left London to avoid being murdered at the hands of cruel men, and he was not going to begin now just because he chose to sail with a captain who would lose his head before his honour.

            John quickly found the storeroom, bursting into it just as the first cannon balls began to strike the ship.

            One had gone through the floor and then through the cook if what was left of his body was any indication. John didn’t much care for him or his grubby hands anyhow.

            John grimaced at the bloody mess as he rolled the body away from the door, barring it from any other intruders. He would have to figure out how to talk his way out of this if the captain survived, if not then he’ll do what he can with the pirates. 

            He was stepping over the body of the cook when he noticed a rolled leather pouch lying right where his body had been. John used the leg of the cook’s pants to wipe off some of the blood before opening it.

            John wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at, the drawing that could possibly be an island and some instructions could possibly make sense to someone who knew what to look for. John caught himself as another cannon ball hit the ship, the yelling above deck was only increasing in urgency and John was sure there was no way they were winning this battle.

            John stuffed the page back into its pouch and stuffed it into his coat. He could use it as a bargaining chip later should all else fail.

            John waited in the room for the battle to stop. The cannons stopped firing, and there was a brief explosion followed by a short fight. His crew was dead, there was no doubt about it. John didn’t have time to breathe his relief before he heard the pirates knocking about below.

            There were a few minutes of knocking, and John backed as far into the room as he could manage before they broke down the door. Only two of the men John could see standing around outside entered, and older man with a gun and a dark-skinned man with his face painted white.

            The older man glanced at the cook’s body before looking back at John.

            “Hello. Taken out by the first cannon, I think.” John carefully stepped closer to the two men, keeping his hands raised. “I, however, am very much alive.” John flicked his eyes over to the man with his face painted. John recognised the look on his face, it was one he was well acquainted with.

The man with the gun cocked his head to the side, and angled the gun more squarely at him.

            “My name is John Silver, and I think I could be _very_ useful to your crew.”

_ Now _

            “He’s a _friend_ , James.” Miranda came up beside him and linked their arms, scowling at Captain Flint in a way that would have led any of the men on the island to their graves.

            “I know exactly who he is, and he should not be in _here_.” Silver could feel the heat of his glare on him and knew that he needed to find his way of his house and possibly out of Miranda Barlow’s life.

            The kind, lonely woman’s company was very dear to John, but not more so than his life.

            “Well, it was a good thing our John here was just on his way out then, if you would be so kind as to move out of the doorway.” Miranda and James seemed to be having a silent conversation, and after a few moments it had become clear who won, the Captain moving out of his way so he could pass by.

            John stopped just short of crossing the threshold, turning back to glance between the Captain and his friend, “Until next time, Mrs. Barlow.”

            The door was promptly slammed in his face, a low growl muffled by the door, and John felt his fear spike. He hadn’t told Mrs. Barlow much, but any bit of information could be incentive enough for the Captain to murder him outright.

            John didn’t hesitate to escape the property and return to the house. John needed to leave the island before he got his throat slit and he needed money to do it.

            Lucky for him he had some information to sell.

…

            John entered the house in his usual fashion, walking through the doors with a seductive smile on his face. He needed to talk with Max.

            Max could get the sort of information he needed, she had the contacts and a better grasp on some of the crews than he.

            “John! You’ve been away too long!” John spotted the man sitting at one of the tables and leaned down long enough to plant a filthy kiss on Joshua, his first and most kind customer.

            “You’re the one who sails away, darling!” He winked at the man and continued on quickly. Joshua liked the girls well-enough; he could hold off for now.

            He spotted Max leaving her room, Ms. Guthrie directly behind her, and waited a moment longer for the blonde girl to exit before catching her eye. He made himself look at ease as he made his way up the stairs and into the room.

            Max locked the door behind them and turned to him with worried eyes, “What is wrong? Did one of the men hurt you?”

            John shook his head, “No- well, not yet.” John sat at the edge of her bed, making himself comfortable, “I have some information. It took me a while to figure out what it was, but I know it is very valuable and it could get the right crew a lot of money.”

            Max stared at him for a moment longer, “Why then, do you look like your life has been ruined?”

            “Because it’s information that a very terrifying and very determined captain has been searching for at least a little longer than I’ve been here.” John swallowed around the lump in his throat, “He’s also recently discovered, as well as I have, that I am quite close with his wife, and before he decided he needs to murder me for the information and any assumptions he might be making, I need to sell it and get passage off this fucking island.”

            “If I am correct in assuming the captain you are discussing then that is a very dangerous and untouchable captain that I will have no business in crossing.”

            “Please! Max, listen.” John stood back up from the bed, reaching out and grabbing both of her hands in his, “I can split it with you, it’s worth quite a lot more than you or I have ever seen. We can pay our debts here; you can leave this island too with that Guthrie woman of yours. Start a new life somewhere where it doesn’t smell like rotting flesh and you can guarantee your safety from moment to moment.”

            John searched Max’s face, watching as she considered his proposal and every risk and reward it came with. Without Max he wasn’t sure his plan could work. He could try to do this himself, but Max had her hands deeper into this island than he did. She knew exactly which crew had which weak link and the perfect way to exploit them. John could play at the crews all he wanted, could bend most men whether he was fucking them or not to his own will. But none of that did him any good unless he had the information.

            “I think I may know of a crew.”


End file.
